Paranormal America (second edition)

An “engrossing and intellectually stimulating” portrait of the countless Americans who believe in paranormal phenomena (Journal of Religion and Culture).

Popular culture makes clear that there’s a seemingly insatiable public appetite for information and entertainment about what we call the paranormal, supernatural, or mystical. But how many Americans believe in the paranormal, and who are they? Based on extensive research and their own unique experiences, Christopher Bader, Joseph Baker, and Carson Mencken reveal that a significant number hold these beliefs, and that for better or worse, we undoubtedly live in a paranormal America.

Paranormal America follows the authors as they participate in psychic and palm readings, have their auras photographed, join a Bigfoot hunt, follow a group of celebrity ghost hunters as they investigate claims of a haunted classroom, and visit a support group for alien abductees. The second edition also includes new and updated research based on findings from the Baylor Religion Survey regarding America’s relationship with the paranormal.

Drawing on these diverse and compelling sources of data, the book offers an engaging account of the social, personal, and statistical stories of American paranormal beliefs and experiences. It examines topics such as the popularity of paranormal beliefs in the United States, the ways in which these beliefs relate to each other, whether paranormal beliefs will give rise to a new religion, and how believers in the paranormal differ from “average” Americans. Brimming with fascinating anecdotes and provocative new findings, Paranormal America offers an entertaining yet authoritative examination of a growing segment of American religious culture.

“An engaging and eye-opening book that offers an abundance of new insights, dispelling some popular stereotypes and reaffirming others.” —Roger Finke, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies, Pennsylvania State University